History

"MAHATMA GANDHI"(Oct.2nd, 1869 - Jan.30th, 1948)
Gandhi, a skinny, bent figure, nut brown and naked except for a white loincloth, cheap spectacles perched on his nose, frail hand grasping a tall bamboo staff.
This is the portrait that comes to our mind when we think of 'Gandhi'. This strange figure swayed millions with his hypnotic spell. The maturity ,characteristic and persona has come only after experimenting with the "Truth"-the state of affairs as it exists.

South Africa was Gandhis laboratory of leadership evolution.It was here that he studied religious books like the "Bhagwad Gita" and the "Holy Bible" and read the works of thinkers like Henry David Thoreau, John Ruskin and Leo Tolstoy, who influenced and inspired his formative thinking.

He was one of 20th centurys revolutionaries. His work and spirit awakened the 20th century to ideas that serve as a moral beacon for all epochs.

The force of Gandhis conviction transformed the Indian National Congress from an upper class movement to a mass crusade during Indias freedom struggle. He used Prayer and Nonviolence more powerfully than the guns.

Gandhi was an embodiment of Compassion and creed of Human rights. He taught passionate commitment, non violent activism, willingness to accept punishment for civil disobedience.
His image offers something much simpler-a shining set of ideals to emulate, individual freedom, political liberty, passive resistance, social justice, nonviolent protests, peaceful conflict resolution and religious tolerance.

His struggle for a Nations right was one and the same with his struggle for individual salvation. The saint and politician inhabited the same slender frame, each nourishing the other and going hand in hand.

He taught appreciation for manual labor, restoration of self-respect lost to colonial subjugation, cultivation of inner strength and dignity of mankind.

Gandhi sought God not Orthodoxy, One of his holiest percepts was "Truth", is "God".

He taught how to undertake the battle of righteousness by renunciation of personal desires not by withdrawal from the world but by devotion to the service of his fellow beings.

He demonstrated the might of Passive Resistance .The Satyagraha(adoption and practice of Truth), the intrinsic energy of Truth , Love, Peace and Freedom based on the ancient ideal of nonviolence to all living things.
He stamped his ideas on history, igniting three of centurys great revolutions-against Colonialism, Racism and Violence.
His concept of nonviolent resistance liberated one nation and sped the end of colonial empires around the world. His marches and fasts fired the imagination of oppressed people everywhere. Millions more have sought freedom and justice under the Gandhis guiding light. He shines as a conscience for the world.

Consciously or not, every oppressed people or group with a cause has practiced what Gandhi taught. The fundamental message of his transcendent personality persists.

Jan Smuts, recognized the power of his idea: Men like him redeem us from a sense of commonplace futility.

Many contemporary leaders of Nations, including Dr. Martin King Luther Jr. of the United States, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko of South Africa, Lech Walesa of Poland, and San Suu Kyi of Myanmar adopted Gandhis practiced ways and means to reach their goals.

While writing the obituary Albert Einstein said Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood.

Such was Gandhis far sight, he noted himself Everybody is eager to garland my Photos, he said But nobody wants to follow my advice.

We revere Gandhi while ignoring half of what he taught. Gandhi had no elected office in India, did not represent his Country in any International organization and had won no International prize, yet his contribution to the World was immense.

Let us together revisit Gandhis way of life and try to understand, adopt and practice the fundamental principles of Truth, Nonviolence ,Compassion and Peace, and percolate the same in an effective way in the Society. We can make the World Community ever Progressive, Peaceful , Prosperous and Joyous.

My Life is my Message, Mahatma Gandhi.